SMU Community Chat: April 3 with Mercury Resources CEO Anton Posner

What we’ll talk about

We’ll talk about military tensions on the Red Sea, the drought on the Panama Canal, and the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore – and what it all means for steel and for scrap.

When it comes to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, will we see vessel traffic around Africa become a more permanent feature of the trade landscape? And will we see ships increase speeds – despite increased carbon emissions – to help make up for the lost time?

As for the drought on the Panama Canal, is that a fleeting issue or could it be a function of climate change and so a longer-term problem?

Early indications are the main impact of the deadly bridge collapse in Baltimore could be on automotive imports and coal exports. To what extent will steel imports and scrap exports be impacted as well?

All told, are these supply chain problems on par with the disruptions we saw coming out of the pandemic or following the start of the war in Ukraine? Or are the current challenges easier for shippers to navigate?

Finally, we’ll talk about inland truck, rail, and barge issues. How are volumes and business there?

We’ll also take your questions, so think of some good ones to bring to the Q&A on April 3.

Why you should listen

Posner is in a good position to address such questions because Mercury Resources specializes in global supply chain management for commodities. The company’s end-to-end solutions include everything from warehousing to ocean freight, as well as inland barge, rail, and trucking services.

As always, we’ll keep it to about 45 minutes. You can drop in, learn something – and then get on with your day.

Editor’s note: If you missed our last Community Chat – a good one with Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries – you can catch a replay here.